Apparatus and methods for treatment of bruxism

Abstract

An apparatus for treating bruxism comprising a main body element, a knob element, and a treatment arm. The main body roughly resembles a flattened golf club head and may have a recess on top, and is connected via the treatment arm to the knob element. The exterior of the apparatus has a smooth construction, with rounded edges lacking sharp corners or points, to assist with placement and comfort. When in use, the main body is placed in the cheek pocket and the treatment arm hooks behind the back molar, where it produces discomfort when fully biting down, thereby discouraging tooth-grinding during slumber.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for treating bruxism in a human comprising:
 a main body element comprising a dorsal side and an opposing ventral side, and a buccal side and an opposing lingual side, said main body element further comprising a smooth exterior surface, and said main body element being sized, shaped, and dimensioned to be placed and passively retained within a buccal vestibule of an adult human;   a knob element; and   a treatment arm extending from said main body element to connect said knob element to said main body element, said treatment arm being sized, shaped, and dimensioned to be placed and held in a vacant retromolar space, and to inhibit upper and lower teeth from contacting each other without said adult human experiencing intolerable discomfort.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum height between said dorsal side and said ventral side is effective to cause at least a portion of said main body element to extend above the visible base of the maxillary molars of said adult human when worn while said mouth is in a closed, resting position. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said maximum height is effective to inhibit said main body element from slipping past the teeth of said adult human when the jaw is opened to its maximum extent. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said maximum height is between about 28.0 mm and about 37.0 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said maximum height is effective to cause at least a portion of said main body element to extend below the visible base of the mandibular molars of said adult human when worn while said mouth is in stasis position. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said maximum height is effective to cause said main body element to fill a portion of the space between the dorsal boundary of the maxillary buccal vestibule and the ventral boundary of the mandibular buccal vestibule of said adult human when worn while said mouth is in stasis position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein an end of said main body element distal said treatment arm curves inward from said dorsal side and said ventral side to connect at a first point having a maximum distance from said treatment arm. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a tangent line to said first point is generally perpendicular to a major horizontal axis of said main body element. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a maximum thickness of said main body between said buccal side and said lingual side is between about 6.0 mm and about 7.0 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said apparatus comprises a smooth transition zone from said main body element to said treatment arm. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said buccal side and said lingual side curve inward towards each other at said distal end of said main body element to connect at a second point having a maximum distance from said treatment arm. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said first point and said second point are the same. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a maximum depth of said apparatus is between about 41.0 mm and about 48.0 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a cross-section of said knob element is generally in the configuration of a curvilinear polygon. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said curvilinear polygon is selected from the group consisting of: a curvilinear triangle; a Reuleaux triangle; an irregular polygon. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a maximum height of said curvilinear polygon in a first direction is about 12 mm and a maximum width of said curvilinear polygon in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction is about 9 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a cross-sectional area of said knob element is larger than a cross-sectional area of said treatment arm at a point adjacent said knob element. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a maximum dorsal cross-sectional width of said treatment arm is about 8.0 mm and a maximum frontal cross-sectional width of said treatment arm is about 10.0 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a minimum distance between said adult human's upper and lower teeth without said adult human experiencing intolerable discomfort is selected from the group consisting of: less than about 3.0 mm; less than about 2.5 mm; less than about 2.0 mm; less than about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one sensor in said functional arm and at least one transmitter communicatively coupled to said at least one sensor. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said sensor further comprising at least one sensor in said functional arm. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein said sensor comprises a force sensor. 
     
     
         23 . A system for treating bruxism comprising:
 the apparatus of  claim 22 ;   a computer having application software installed thereon, said application software programmed to receive wireless messages from said apparatus vis said transmitter and to display at least some of the content of said received wireless messages.   
     
     
         24 . A method for treating bruxism comprising:
 an adult human inserting the apparatus of  claim 19  into the oral cavity of said adult human and positioning said main body element within said space defined by adjacent maxillary and mandibular buccal vestibules, and positioning said treatment arm among said soft tissue behind said molars;   said adult human slumbering while said apparatus is so inserted; and   upon awakening, said adult human removing said apparatus from said oral cavity.